Hi all, yesterday there was a write up on the 2008 VW Touareg, and i'm sure after reading, all you guys would probably feel as annoyed as i was. All famous automotive reviews have at least a better then average review of the VW Touareg right? Well take a look at what this guy has to say. 
I'm sorry i dont have a scanner, so i will type it out. Will take pics and post it soon.
The Straits Times, Saturday, October 27, 2007,
Life Motoring
"The People's SUV"
Volkswagen's facelifted Touareg puts utility above all else
Christopher Tan
Senior Correspondent.
christan@sph.com.sg
Volkswagen claims its facelifted Touareg has more than 2,300 new parts.
It Shows. But not in an entirely positive way.
The SUV's cabin comes across as rather plasticky. There are plastics and there are plastics. The types found abundantly in the Touareg are the hard, hollow stuff you might associate with China made toys.
The switchgear are depressingly cheap for a car that cost so much. Although VW has applied the usual accompaniment of alloy and wood veneer to the interior, this fails to mask the car's mass market standard.
Even fit and finish are not of the quality we remember of the first touareg. Its only redeeming quality is its keyless access and ignition system. If only it had motorised assistance for its barn-size tailgate as well.
Either VW has slipped big time, or there is method to its mediocrity. The latter is more plausible, just so the Porsche Cayenne and the Audi Q7 - which share underpinnings with the Touareg - are not eclipsed in any way.
For the record, the pair are laps ahead of the Touareg in terms of luxury, ambience and build quality.
While the previous managemnt had wanted the Volkswagen brand t rise in stature to take on the likes of Mercedes Benz, it looks like the present honchos realise that being the "people's car" is really VW's station in life.
That said, there is really no reason for the Touareg to be priced at $188,600 (SGD), even if it has a bigger engine than its predecessor.
Not when another $50,000 or so buys you a Porsche Cayenne. Besides the better quality, the Porsche has a lot more brand equity.
If, however, you ignore these irritating details - as well as the price of fuel these days - you could find the big SUV attractive.
IT is a huge vehicle that has lots of road pressence. Like the original, it is not short on space or versatility. As a driving machine, the revamped Touareg doesnt really disappoint either. But neither does it impress.
Its 3.6 litre V6 has a lot more grunt than the previous 3.2. Its transmission seems to possess more urgency. Sometimes, it would appear there is a tad too much urgency.
Moving off in urban traffic conditions can be a little unsettling if your right foot is not calibrated to exert just the right amount of pressure.
For such a behemoth, it handles admirably well. You can weave it through roads diverted by MRT works almost as easily as you would a mid sized sedan. It would be more pleasurable if the car's wing mirrors were not the size of Dumbo's ears. along with the thick A pilliars, they actually hinder side visibility.
Ride comfort is appreciably better now. And VW has thrown in ABS plus, which shortens stopping distance on loose surfaces by up to 20%.
The car has some aural appeal, the the credentials to back it up. Zero to 100km/h is done in a nifty 8.6 seconds. Alas, with great power comes great consumption. The speed at which the fuel gauge needle falls would have triggered palpitations had the Touareg not been a test car.
So! What do you guys think!?
I'm sorry i dont have a scanner, so i will type it out. Will take pics and post it soon. The Straits Times, Saturday, October 27, 2007,
Life Motoring
"The People's SUV"
Volkswagen's facelifted Touareg puts utility above all else
Christopher Tan
Senior Correspondent.
christan@sph.com.sg
Volkswagen claims its facelifted Touareg has more than 2,300 new parts.
It Shows. But not in an entirely positive way.
The SUV's cabin comes across as rather plasticky. There are plastics and there are plastics. The types found abundantly in the Touareg are the hard, hollow stuff you might associate with China made toys.
The switchgear are depressingly cheap for a car that cost so much. Although VW has applied the usual accompaniment of alloy and wood veneer to the interior, this fails to mask the car's mass market standard.
Even fit and finish are not of the quality we remember of the first touareg. Its only redeeming quality is its keyless access and ignition system. If only it had motorised assistance for its barn-size tailgate as well.
Either VW has slipped big time, or there is method to its mediocrity. The latter is more plausible, just so the Porsche Cayenne and the Audi Q7 - which share underpinnings with the Touareg - are not eclipsed in any way.
For the record, the pair are laps ahead of the Touareg in terms of luxury, ambience and build quality.
While the previous managemnt had wanted the Volkswagen brand t rise in stature to take on the likes of Mercedes Benz, it looks like the present honchos realise that being the "people's car" is really VW's station in life.
That said, there is really no reason for the Touareg to be priced at $188,600 (SGD), even if it has a bigger engine than its predecessor.
Not when another $50,000 or so buys you a Porsche Cayenne. Besides the better quality, the Porsche has a lot more brand equity.
If, however, you ignore these irritating details - as well as the price of fuel these days - you could find the big SUV attractive.
IT is a huge vehicle that has lots of road pressence. Like the original, it is not short on space or versatility. As a driving machine, the revamped Touareg doesnt really disappoint either. But neither does it impress.
Its 3.6 litre V6 has a lot more grunt than the previous 3.2. Its transmission seems to possess more urgency. Sometimes, it would appear there is a tad too much urgency.
Moving off in urban traffic conditions can be a little unsettling if your right foot is not calibrated to exert just the right amount of pressure.
For such a behemoth, it handles admirably well. You can weave it through roads diverted by MRT works almost as easily as you would a mid sized sedan. It would be more pleasurable if the car's wing mirrors were not the size of Dumbo's ears. along with the thick A pilliars, they actually hinder side visibility.
Ride comfort is appreciably better now. And VW has thrown in ABS plus, which shortens stopping distance on loose surfaces by up to 20%.
The car has some aural appeal, the the credentials to back it up. Zero to 100km/h is done in a nifty 8.6 seconds. Alas, with great power comes great consumption. The speed at which the fuel gauge needle falls would have triggered palpitations had the Touareg not been a test car.
So! What do you guys think!?
